Islamic State claims election day attack on northeast Nigerian city

ABUJA (Reuters) – Islamic State on Saturday said it carried out a morning attack on the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri as the country holds elections, although the army has denied an attack took place and says sounds of fighting were drills.

In a statement on its news agency Amaq, the militant group’s West Africa Province said the attack targeted Maiduguri airport, a Nigerian army base and a government building.

Security sources have told Reuters that militants struck in the town, and Reuters journalists heard blasts and gunfire. However, the Nigerian army has denied any attacks took place and said the sounds were of military exercises.

Reporting by Paul Carsten in Abuja and Ulf Laessing in Tunis; Editing by Alexis Akwagyiram and Peter Graff